Sunday, October 24, 2010

Criss Cross (1949) - Film Locations

Criss Cross (1949) (C) Universal International Pictures

In the 1940s noir film, Criss Cross, Burt Lancaster plays Steve Thompson, a man still deeply in love with his ex-wife, Anna, performed by the alluring Yvonne De Carlo. In the film, Lancaster returns to Los Angeles to rekindle his relationship with De Carlo, however, there is one major problem - De Carlo marries mobster Slim Dundee. Despite the threat of the mob, Lancaster and De Carlo carry on an affair.

When the mob discovers Lancaster and De Carlo together, Lancaster attempts to avert the mob's attention to another matter - an armored truck heist. What the mob considers to be an impossible robbery, suddenly becomes possible after Lancaster reveals to the mob that he is an armored truck driver and he could be their inside man. Not until the robbery is midway does the mob realize they've been criss-crossed by Lancaster.

There are some great Los Angeles locations used in the film. Most notable are locations in what used to be the Bunker Hill neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles and Union Station. Here are a few of those locations:

Lancaster gets off trolley at Hill Street Tunnel near Temple Street

Temple @ Hill Street, (c) 2011 Google

The Hill Street Tunnel was demolished in the 1950s.

Lancaster walks up stairs along Hill Street Tunnel

Aerial view of Hill Street at Temple where the north end of the Hill Street Tunnel once stood.

GREAT flipping post, mate! Never seen the film and will search it out pronto. Perhaps I'm so squealy because I visit my parents on the weekends and take Union Station, so now I will HAPPILY channel Mr. Lancaster every time I pass that Information desk. There was a recen piece in the LA Times that highlighted Hollywood's longtime love affair with Union Station and over the past few weeks I have noticed a marked increase in filming around the premises. So bloody typical: all this new Hollywood trash that doesn't even know, or care to discover, the rich history waiting in their own backyard.

Thanks Kittypackard. You know, when I was down at Union Station taking pictures Tim Allen walked in. He was being escorted to one of those carts where they were probably going to drive him straight to his train. I thought it was interesting that someone like Tim Allen was taking the train rather than driving or flying. I wonder where he was headed? I also thought it was interesting that here I am taking photos of Union Station's connection to old Hollywood when in came in a star from the contemporary Hollywood.

Thanks Zinnia :) It is nice that Union Station has changed so little. I hope too that it stays that way!

Thanks Kittypackard. You know, when I was down at Union Station taking pictures Tim Allen walked in. He was being escorted to one of those carts where they were probably going to drive him straight to his train. I thought it was interesting that someone like Tim Allen was taking the train rather than driving or flying. I wonder where he was headed? I also thought it was interesting that here I am taking photos of Union Station's connection to old Hollywood when in came in a star from the contemporary Hollywood.

Thanks Zinnia :) It is nice that Union Station has changed so little. I hope too that it stays that way!

Great post. i love your blog and LA's history in film. Criss Cross is a movie I'm itching to see.

One thing about the tunnel. I believe the tunnel where he arrives is the Hill Street tunnel, which was just north of the Second st. tunnel and is no longer in existence. The Second street tunnel never had a street car go through it and is more elliptical, though they look very similar.

Thank you for catching that and pointing that out about the tunnel! I took a closer look and I'm pretty sure you are right, that the correct tunnel is the Hill Street tunnel. I've since replaced my photo of the Second Street tunnel with a Google earth screenshot of Temple and Hill Streets which is near where I believe the Hill Street tunnel entrance was located. Sometimes it gets confusing looking at these Bunker Hill locations that really don't exist at all except in old photos. I hope you continue to enjoy the blog. I think most of the time I'm able to track down most locations pretty well, but if you ever find anything that I'm off on, please let me know. Thanks!

All of us old timers know this, but if you are new to Union Station, skip the in house restaurant. Instead, visit Phillppe's for a french dip sandwich. It is practically across the street and is a great piece of L.A. history.

It's 2016 now, I just watched Criss Cross, and being from L.A. I poured over the net to identify where that shot was with Burt getting off the bus. I looked at the history of the Red Line and Yellow Line buses,trolleys, but to no avail.

Finally the simple answer dawned: Google for locations Criss Cross, and bam! there you were!

The Internet is our Collective Memory. Thanks for putting this up years ago!